Subterranean Homeboy Blues
A white woman shoots two black men in a crowded subway car, and claims that it was done in self-defense. With much internal disagreement, the District Attorney's office goes forward with a prosecution, even though many of them are members of the group. Plot A white woman shoots two black men in a crowded subway. The shooting at first appears to be self-defense. Logan and Greevey argue about di Biasi's guilt, especially after learning that the dead man has a substantial record, and the living one cannot control himself in court. Laura di Biasi tries to make her case to Robinette, but he distances himself from the issue. Stone has trouble with the case, both in dealing with di Biasi's public defender, Shambala Green. Cast Main cast * George Dzundza as Sergeant Max Greevey * Chris Noth as Detective Mike Logan * Dann Florek as Captain Donald Cragen * Michael Moriarty as Executive A.D.A. Benjamin Stone * Richard Brooks as A.D.A. Paul Robinette * Steven Hill as D.A. Adam Schiff Recurring cast * Lorraine Toussaint as Legal Aid Attorney Shambala Green * Sam Gray as Trial Judge Manuel Leon Guest cast * Cynthia Nixon as Laura Di Biasi * Akili Prince as Darnell Chenault * Phyllis Somerville as Ms. Maltese * Alexandra Gersten as Abby Diamond * Tonya Pinkins as Woman * Barbara Caruso as Mrs. Hastings * Dwayne McClary as Michael Jones * Wanda Richert as Aimee * José Ramón Rosario as Administrator * Dan Desmond as Reporter * Shirl Bernheim as Landlady * Cynthia Belgrave as Librarian * David E. Weinberg as Policeman #1 * Kevin Eshelman as Policeman #2 * Mark Werheim as Stevenson * Stephanie Berry as Nurse #1 * Tim Kelleher as Intern * Mimi Weddell as Baglady * Gerald M. Kline as Paramedic * Phil Parolisi as Orderly * Cedric Turner as Transit Policeman * Damon Pooser as Angel #1 * Jacqueline Murphy as Nurse #2 * Chris Place as Attorney Robertson (uncredited) References *Billy Sims Quotes "I miss the good ol' days - when you didn't need a lengthy trial just to give a white person the non-guilty verdict. We would have just covered it up and moved on." : - Benjamin Stone "Do you have any other personal views on this subject you'd like to air before we walk into court and Ms. Shambala Green hands us our asses on a platter?" : - Benjamin Stone "We're not talking about 'Squeaky' Fromme here." : - Mike Logan Background information and notes * This episode appears based on the Bernhard Goetz case. In 1984, Goetz (who also became known as the 'subway vigilante') shot four young black men in a Manhattan subway that he stated had threatened and tried to rob him. Goetz, like Laura Di Biasi, was eventually found not guilty in criminal court, but (unlike Di Biasi) a racially charged 1996 civil suit (with a black/Latino jury) filed by Darrell Cabey, who was left paralyzed and brain damaged by the event, awarded Cabey $43 million in damages. (Source: ) * This is the first appearance of legal aid attorney Shambala Green, played by Lorraine Toussaint. * The title of this episode is a play on words from a well-known Bob Dylan song, Subterranean Homesick Blues. * This episode features Ice T's first appearance on Law & Order. His song "Comin' Through" is playing on a boombox in a subway car during the opening scene. Episode scene cards Category:L&O episodes Category:1990s episodes Category:1990 episodes Category:Season 1 episodes